PREHARVEST AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION OF MAIZE INOCULATED WITH ASPERGILLUS-FLAVUS AND FUSARIUM-MONILIFORME

A two-year factorial experiment was utilized to test plants field-inoc ulated singly and in combination with Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium moniliforme. Pinbar inoculations were made through the husks with coni dial suspensions, and 10-ear maize samples were harvested at 60 days p ost-silking for aflatoxin determinations. When ears were inoculated wi th both fungi simultaneously, F. moniliforme reduced aflatoxin formati on by A. flavus isolate NRRL 3357 by approximately two-thirds, F. moni liforme had no significant effect on naturally occurring aflatoxin con tamination by A. flavus. This may be due to the timing of infection by both fungi in the field. In nature, A. flavus and F. moniliforme resp ond differently to the environment, offering one explanation of why F. moniliforme did not measurably affect the other fungus.